Cheerleader sued firm over cameras in dressing room

The company that manages the Gaylord Entertainment Center must disclose details of its deal to settle a lawsuit filed by former Nashville Kats cheerleaders who learned they had been secretly videotaped in their dressing room, a judge ruled yesterday.

The 14 cheerleaders sued Powers Management after learning that hidden cameras had been peering at them as they changed clothes.

As the lawsuit headed for trial in December, attorneys for both sides reached a settlement agreement. Those terms were not disclosed.

The Tennessean sought access to that agreement, contending that because Powers was managing a publicly owned facility, the company settlement was subject to the state's Open Records Act.

Powers countered that it was a private firm and did not have to disclose the agreement's terms.
Yesterday, Davidson County Circuit Court Judge Hamilton Gayden ruled that the agreement is a public record and that the documents be open for review 30 days after his ruling.

''It is the opinion of the court that the public at large has right to know the amount and terms of the settlement agreement,'' Gayden wrote.
If Powers decides to appeal, the judge's order would be stayed pending the outcome.

The judge did not award attorneys' fees to The Tennessean ''at this point in the litigation,'' saying ''the defendants acted reasonably and in good faith.''